A WOMAN has voiced concern because she was unable to contact police to report youths causing a nuisance outside her home.

The 63-year-old, who asked not to be named, said the youths were swinging on lampposts, urinating on fences and swearing in an alley near her home in Kensington Gardens, Darlington.

She did not think their behaviour merited a 999 emergency call, but says she repeatedly telephoned the number for Darlington police station without getting any response.

"I just could not get a reply," she said.

"It was about 9pm at night and I was letting the phone ring and ring, but it just rang out. I didn't know what to do because it wasn't an emergency, but I did want to report it and for someone to come out.

"I can't believe that there is no one there to take calls for the whole of the town."

The woman said her family had been tormented by youths gathering in the alleyway, which leads on to Yarm Road, for the past five years.

"It is impossible to just sit and watch the telly because they bang on the fences and scream and shout," she said.

"It can start from as early as 6pm and go on for hours. We have gone out to them but they love confrontation and can be very menacing. It is getting beyond a joke."

Over the past three months, residents and businesses in Yarm Road have been reporting problems with groups of up to 70 youths gathering there and causing a nuisance. Police pledged last week to increase patrols.

Calls to (01325) 467681, the number for Darlington police station, go through to a central control room in Bishop Auckland.

Control room supervisor Alan Dunnill said: "We are not just taking calls for Darlington, but for Bishop Auckland, Crook, Barnard Castle and Sedgefield.

"We take the 999 calls as well and obviously they are prioritised and must be answered first.

"We have five operators and if it is a busy night with lots of emergencies, it is quite possible that a call is kept at the bottom of the queue. People should just keep trying."